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Domenicali: When Alonso crossed the line I
reprimanded him in private

Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali has
revealed that he intervened to bring Fernando Alonso to order and defend the
team after the Spaniard’s criticism of the Scuderia in July.

Interviewed by two Italian fans in a meeting
arranged by the Gazzetta Dello Sport newspaper at the Ferrari factory, he shed
light on a period which many believe marks the beginning of the end of Alonso’s
tenure at Maranello.

The Spaniard, a double champion with Renault, has
been critical of Ferrari’s performance and was publicly reprimanded by Ferrari
chairman Luca Di Montezemolo in July.

“When I need to reprimand Alonso, as would also be
the case with my engineers, I do it in private and in a harsh manner if need
be,” said Domenicali when asked why Alonso was allowed to be so critical.

“But externally, I will always defend the team. When
he crossed the line, president Montezemolo intervened and in private, so did
I,” he added.

The principal defended the use of team orders in
favour of Alonso and also the team’s decision to retain Brazilian Felipe Massa
this season despite his dip in performance.

Massa is leaving at the end of the year to make way
for the team’s returning 2007 champion Kimi Raikkonen.

“If Felipe was unable to deliver the performance we
hoped for, it was mainly down to a hyper-sensitivity to a car that was too
nervous at the rear, but in 2008 he almost took the title and I consider him as
a World Champion,” said Domenicali.